TOPIK I · LEVEL 2
-(으)ㄴ/는지
-(으)ㄴ/는지 turns a question into part of a sentence: 'whether / what / where …' (embedded question).
인용·전달Quoting & reportingHan: 어떻다 is an adjective, so it takes -(으)ㄴ지: 어떤지.
Examples
그 영화가 재미있는지 궁금해요.I wonder whether that movie is good.
친구가 몇 시에 왔는지 기억이 안 나요.I can't remember what time my friend came.
도서관이 어디에 있는지 알아요?Do you know where the library is?
Don’t mix up
-(으)ㄴ/는지vs-는 것-는 것 states a fact; -는지 leaves it open as a question: 그가 오는 것을 알아요 'I know he's coming' vs 그가 오는지 몰라요 'I don't know whether he's coming'.How to build it
V+는지
A+(으)ㄴ지
past+았/었는지
N+인지
가다 → 가는지, 좋다 → 좋은지, 갔다 → 갔는지
- Usually followed by 알다, 모르다, 궁금하다, 물어보다.
- Often with question words: 어디에 사는지, 언제 오는지, 무엇을 먹었는지.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 날씨가 어떤는지 몰라요.
Right: 날씨가 어떤지 몰라요.
어떻다 is an adjective, so it takes -(으)ㄴ지: 어떤지.
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All TOPIK grammar- -(이)라고 하다Attach -(이)라고 하다 to a noun to say what someone or something is called, or to report that someone said something is that noun.
- -(으)면-(으)면 attaches to a verb or adjective to set a condition: "if X happens or is true, then Y," and it can also mean "whenever X" for things that regularly happen.
- -(으)ㄴ 지Shows how much time has passed since an action happened.
- -(으)ㄹ 것Ends a written instruction or rule with a noun-like command: 'do X; X is to be done'. Impersonal and firm; used in notices, exam instructions, memos and rule lists.
- -(으)ㄹ 때Attaches to a verb or adjective to say at what time or in what situation something happens: 'when …'.
- -(으)면 안 되다States that an action is not allowed or not acceptable: 'you must not… / it's not okay to…'.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다Attach it to a verb to say that someone can or cannot do something, either because of their ability or because the situation allows or prevents it.
- -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다Use it to say whether someone knows how to do something, meaning a skill or method they have learned.
- -(으)ㄴ 후에Shows that the second action happens after the first action is finished.